My 16 YOA indoor cat suddenly died.

My 16 YOA indoor cat suddenly died. Her meow changed. in the last 3-5 months especially at night. She was never satisified. She was eating, poopind, drinking normal amounts of water. She lost a lot of her ability to jump on the higher bed,cried with pain when I combed her backend. She was losing weight over the past several years, 10 pounds down to 7. She appeared to be going blind. She was on the bed, fell off, didn't breathe or move. What could she have died of?

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Unfortunately 16 is fairly old for a cat and at that age they subject to quite a few age-related illnesses like kidney failure, hyperthyroid, high blood pressure, heart problems, and arthritis that can cause different symptoms like changes in vocalizing, lessened ability to jump, losing weight and muscle mass and having tenderness when a comb presses their skin against the pointy bones of the spine and hips, and impaired vision. The only way to know for sure exactly what lead to her death would have been to have taken her to a vet to be diagnosed and that would be our recommendation the next time you notice a cat losing substantial weight. But 12-16 years is about the average lifespan of an indoor cat with some cats living past 20 but they are few and far between, so she did have a good long life. It sounds like she was able to pass fairly quickly and peacefully in the comfort of her home, so we hope you'll take solace knowing she didn't suffer. So sorry for your loss!

First, I am so sorry for your loss. As the former poster stated, 16 years is a long life for any cat to live. She could have died from anything (cancer, hyperthyroidism, cardiomyopathy to name a few). Again, I am very sorry for the loss of your long time feline companion. The only thing I can say is that you gave her a good life and now she is free of pain. Just keep thinking those thoughts to help ease your grief.

Member 185886
answered on 2/14/12.
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I am so sorry for the loss of your Kitty. They can never live long enough. They are the worlds best compensaters. Even house cats are the best preditors on earth. They never show weakness or sickness which makes catowners always on guard. With blood tests and exams. But your Kitty lived a long life as Kitty's go. I can't imagine how you could have made a bigger difference. Than what you did by loving her. You will never be able to replace her. But you can honor her by starting over. Every life should have 9 cats.